Kuala Lumpur to Singapore by Luxury Coach with Transtar Solitaire Suites
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- Опубликовано: 11 июл 2024
- My final video from the trip I took to India & Malaysia in October 2023: Kuala Lumpur to Singapore by Luxury Coach with Transtar Solitaire Suites.
There are several options to get to Singapore from KL: flights and trains being the quickest. As per usual, I was on the bus which is obviously the slowest option but at least I got to see the countryside (before it got dark).
On this video, I'll show you how you can do it to. Where it picks up, what it's like on board, how much it costs and of course, what you get for your money. The Solitaire Suites looked amazing on the website but were they as good in reality? And what was the actual trip like? Well, let me tell you it ended in extreme disappointment but I won't spoil it for you here. Let's just say, I was glad when I finally got to my hotel room!
Thanks as always guys for taking the time to watch my videos. All likes, comments, subs are massively appreciated and it really really helps.
Cheers for now.
Mark
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📖Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:16 - Coach arrives, initial look around
05:30 - On the way to Singapore
06:27 - On board catering
07:17 - Making progress
09:36 - Comfort Break
11:17 - To the border
13:34 - Immigration formalities
15:07 - Last leg
16:40 - Summary
You told this story so well mate, it was like I was there with you! The stress at the end! :D
Definitely Steve, all that to miss last train by 1 minute ! Have you guys dried out from yesterday !??
Cheers mate and thanks (as always) for watching. There was a lot that happened at the end I didn't really say and I edited quite a bit out of the summary. In a nutshell, I was ready to come home at that point!
Amazing video as always!!
Cheers Jack, thanks for watching. 😊👍
Thank you for all the amazing videos you have uploaded this year
Thanks for the lovely comment (and for watching) it's really appreciated mate.
@@LetsMakeaTripno worries
Great trip and video . All the Best for 2024.
Cheers mate, same to you!
No working WiFi and no toilet is shockingly bad for a supposed luxury product.
Yes Andrew, I was disappointed with that tbh.
1st class my ass!
It’s amazing how the actions of one person can affect so many others. A good, honest review as always.
Cheers mate. Yep it’s that knock-on effect isn’t it. Well at least she got her cheap food 🤔
Oh what a big eye roll at the end, Mark!
My signature move John lol!
I can see the KL traffic congestion hasnt gotten any better then !!
I used to commute on these roads to work.
I have travelled from kl to singapore, but we flewed which meant a taxi to the KLIA. I had married a local so she insisted on flying, even though it meant we got up to cruising altitude,and then go into a descent !.
My brother and his wife did the same trip by train and said it was stress free and great.
I always say go by the best tranposrt method you can afford especially if you are not a local. glad you like the nasi lemak, it was a regular for breakfast for me.
the person who got two shopping bags, willing to bet it was an auntie buying lots of snacks and drinks( drinks are why you need lots of stops!), seen it plenty of time, malaysians love their food.
food and fuel is lot more cheaper in malaysia...
I love when you go to places I will never get to! You had a good seat at the front and I’m amazed that you got a meal (I was a veteran of Greyhound - with toilets I wouldn’t want to use and no wifi - and as for a meal, not on the menu! It’s years since I switched to flightsI).
Actually, you crossed that border faster than you can cross the US/Canada border on Greyhound. Sorry you missed your connection.
These luxury items aren't just possessions; they're timeless pieces of art. They transcend trends, promising enduring beauty for generations to come.
They are. Should be in a museum on permanent display really.
If you head to South and Central America you'll get lots of exotic buses with flat seating.We went on one from Guatemala City to Belize,well not quite as it took you to the border and a mini bus went on to Belize City.For some reason sleeper buses have never caught on in Europe or North America.Australia too doesn't seem to have any but much smaller New Zealand does!
The sheer luxury at 6:23 haha.
I’ve missed so much of your content and I look forward FINALLY catching up. One of my favourite channels. 🦘
Cheers Dave, thanks for the lovely comment, appreciated.
Great journey Mark, pity about the older bus though 🙄, and that one person screwing things up, there's always one eh!, thanks again 👍
There is always one yes!
I’ve done that journey a couple of times and will be doing again next month, but always with Aeroline, and always a morning departure!
Overall James, I think the Aeroline I took from Penang to KL was a better coach (and that was an older one too!).
Aeroline the pioneer and well known
Why is there always that one person on the coach no matter where you travel who doesn’t show up on time? Enjoyed the review as always. Happy New Year to you and your family!
I don’t know. But they always seem to be on my bus! Happy new year to you too 😊👍
Have done the KL/SG trip literally dozens of times .. air shuttle, express bus, train, sleeper train and driving .. think the express bus was probably the best and easiest, not to mention best value. Several probably better established/larger companies ply a schedule with at least a couple doing a city centre to city centre route (if I remember rightly Nice bus and Aeroline do and also have out of centre hubs at the KL end too). Schedule keeping is usually pretty good but 5 hours would be pretty ambitious in my experience. Id thoroughly recommend also trying the overnight KTM sleep train with a bunk bed although this has an early morning immigration check at SG border if coming from KL (SG to KL easier). Although the air shuttle is more "glamorous" having the slog out to KLIA from KL (maybe allow an hour by car or half an hour by train from KL Central) to get the plane and the trip into town from Changi on top of the actual flying adds to the journey time.
Cheers. Ike, thanks for the info. Maybe a daytime train is the best option having read your comment? But tbh, like I said in the video, I’d be quite happy with another bus IF I’d left earlier in the day. Live and learn don’t you with all these things. Aeroline I took them from Penang to KL earlier in the trip and they were better overall I would say even though that was an older vehicle too.
Boy missing that last train by 1 bloody minute due to somebody doing shopping which was quite rare tell you one think either the train or plane would be best but anyway another nice trip despite everything happy new mate looking to seeing you in 2024 mate
Cheers Caleb, happy new year to you too mate. Plenty more to come next year. 😊👍
We did that jouney but from the opposite direction and not in a luxury coach! We went by train in and followed the war time route. Kuala Lumpur was amazing and a battle to ignore the tut-tut drivers trying to take our fare. I must admit we ate western food rather than the local stall holders offerings. I would love to go there again but now there is no chance now.
Thanks for the comment Sarah. I mixed it up a bit with the food in KL. Some local and some western but at least I had the choice. Loved KL actually, felt quite at home there. Would definitely go back.
I did this trip in the opposite direction, we were 2 hours late arriving into KL (we departed on time)
I was lucky to be on a newer coach (which only had one seat at the front) but we got the same meal, same rest stop and they stopped for fuel about 15km from our destination.
like you, no wifi on the trip and despite the condition of my seat appearing better, it was not clean by any stretch of the imagination.
Yep seems similar experience to mine. Flatters to deceive a bit but the newer coach does look better. Can’t argue with the price I guess but there must be better out there somewhere (I’m still looking!) 😊 Cheers mate and thanks for sharing the experience 👍
Great vlog mark I would been angry too
In the end I was just tired and a bit deflated really. Had a great time the following day though. Really enjoyed Singapore.
I hope to get over there next year. I think you can also get the train from KL to Singapore.
Yes, I can’t recommend the train tbh because I have no experience of it but if you did decide on the coach, go for an earlier one.
Did that trip 2 weeks ago on Transtar Solitaire but slightly different bus version - had upstairs front seat but it was single, not twin like yours. Bus was equally tired and shabby inside, same seat and fittings. What was irritating was the spare co-driver sat on the steps through almost the entirely journey chatting in a loud Malay voice to the actual driver and the hostess - impossible to sleep. Overall not worth the extra cost - fixed SGD 88 from SG to KL, but other “luxury” buses, including Transtar’s own, with much more space / legroom than we get in National Express here, do the route for just SGD 35.
Fuel is much cheaper in Malaysia that's why the driver stopped just before the border. Because of that, it's mandated that Singapore registered cars travelling to Malaysia have to contain at least 3/4 of the vehicle's fuel capacity to prevent Singaporeans from travelling to Malaysia just for the cheap petrol!
Cheers Jason, I thought as much! Probably goes for most things too I would imagine (like food).
Love the lock screen! Guessing you went to the Asteroid City exhibition in London, too?
haha, I did Jamie! Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. A great film too, I do enjoy most of Wes Anderson's stuff.
@@LetsMakeaTrip Loved it! One of his best, in my opinion. Picked up a t-shirt there, too!
Interesting video again, not sure that it was a “luxury product”, although you obviously enjoyed the experience of having a massage on a coach. It was such a shame that you incurred stress at the end of the trip. It must have been very frustrating to have missed your train by just one minute. However, with your sense of humour and always being positive, your travels, whether in the UK or abroad are always so entertaining 😅. Happy New Year Mark and looking forward to your upcoming travel reports in 2024😊.
Cheers mate, yep you’ve just gotta keep going I guess. It’s always an adventure isn’t it! Happy new year to you too and all the best for 2024 😊👍
On the stop just before the border. I don't know if it still the case but I was told fuel used to be heavily subsidised in Malaysia. If that was and remains correct it possibly makes doing a refill close to the border while in Malaysia much cheaper it when refuelling a large vehicle.
That confirms my suspicions yes I reckon you're dead right.
Happy memories of last month. I chased a Grab taxi around that very Monorail station. I realised they were arriving on the other side of that carriageway and I played Frogger IRL 😂.
Oh I could go into a lot more detail about Grab and trying to find the taxi, but your story sounds very similar to mine yep.
You were lucky to get a comfort break, it's time the airlines used that idea!😉
Around ten years ago I did it the other way but one coach to JB then a separate coach to KL. Saved half the price
There are much cheaper coaches and tbh, I wouldn't spend the money on this one again. It's not worth it.
Great review , love all the trips you make especially the unusual ones , the no toilet on the coach would be a big no no for me - deal breaker I’m afraid
Cheers Kevin, yes I was surprised about the lack of toilet. The Aeroline one had a loo (albeit a bit basic).
I did it the other way around when I was there in 2019, I did a load of flying so I thought I would give it a go and really enjoyed it with one exception, no toilet and I know we stopped but as a 50 year old codger my bladder works when it wants so I just didn’t drink too much and that got me through it, funny thing is cause you know there ain’t a toilet it was on my mind all the time !!!! Anyhow it was a daytime trip and it was great but next time I would fly (unless they put toilets onboard).
Cheers Gary, yep, you're about the same age as me then and it is a thing that needs consideration. I naively thought it would have one - didn't even cross my mind it wouldn't. Bit of a let down really though it looks smart from the outside, the inside has seen better days!
Sooner you than me. That didn't look like a stress free trip...
It wasn't Kevin and I edited out a lot of the summary as I didn't want to appear too melodramatic about it all but suffice to say, I was ready to come home at that point!
Public transport would be great without the other passengers!
Haha, yes it definitely would!
Certainly beats catching the X55 or whatever it is from Manchester to Blackpool.
haha, cheers Steve. You know what though, I still enjoy a good NX trip (and they've got a toilet!!).
You really do take one for the team don't you,bus travel is the worst and this boy will never do it again. Many thanks and stay safe and Happy New Year to you and yours.
Cheers Simon. Thing is, it could've been great but just didn't live up to its billing. Shame really as I'd look at train or plane next time.
Think you mentioned it but when crossing a border on any day always leave as early as possible that day. This applies to any land crossing.
Yep, it’s good advice tbh. I’ll definitely want to do that in future.
Hi, great reiew as usual. Pity about the person who was late. I know some coaches that would have left on time. If some some of the coach companies did leave on time and without late returners, word might gwt around and passengers would soon ctton on. Thanks for suffering for us mere mortals😂🙃❤
Yes, it was to the credit of the on board host really that she cared about the situation. The shopper was not a great help tbh and it was a tad annoying!
The car stereo is truly bizarre!
Yes I thought so!
I done this journey but just to the border. From there you can pass through immigration quicker and get on the MRT sooner
That's a good tip for anyone wanting to do it. Cheers dobbo.
A relatively stress-ish trip, Mark. Yea, I would be put off by shabby furnishings and electronics that don't work. A sign of a company that is not really caring. Odd rest stops too. Ten minutes is hardly enough time to take a leak and get back to the bus. How did that lax passenger manage to sneak in a shopping expedition? Seriously, if you're going to have a break [bus company] make it thirty minutes at minimum. No loo on board? Unacceptable. Thanks for briefing us on this under-par service, Mark. I enjoyed the story. Paul in Oz.
Cheers Paul. Yep, two bags of shopping she had walking back to the coach. All I would say is food must be significantly cheaper on the Malaysian side! Annoying though, it could've been done in KL before boarding the bus!
Nice video mate but shame about the ending.. That's the thing with travel, you have to take the rough with the smooth. Train is also an option, though I see why you wanted to try the bus (after reviewing the train to Butterworth!) I did Singapore to Melakka back in 2002, also by bus, I don't have any standout memories of it other than the seats were more "normal" than "luxury" like yours!
Yes exactly right I did want to try the bus and I’d seen someone take a really nice one of these. That was part of the disappointment really. I’d probably fly next time tbh.
No toilet! I couldn't cope😂. What a shame you had all that hassle, Mark due to inconsiderate people. At least you had the seats to yourself!
Great trip report, Mark. This route is an ideal one for high-speed rail but sadly the project has been put on the back burner for now. No wonder trade bible OAG says for 2023 KUL-SIN air route provided the most airline seats for any international route worldwide (based on airport-airport rather than city-city).
Oh I didn’t know that Alex but it doesn’t surprise me. There were quite a lot of buses on this route anyway and tbh if I was doing it again (which wouldn’t surprise me), the flight option would be my choice too.
Thanks for taking one for the team. In answer to your question, I would not use this service and would likely fly. Cheers
Cheers for the comment Steve. I'm with you mate, I'd fly too (or at least try the train first).
How long was the coach to Singapore?
Details in the video.
Class video , shame you can’t say the same about the operator
They do have some better coaches but that's the gamble I suppose.
Oh oh, didn't sound good. getting the older coach was a pity, missing your train because someone was shopping, priceless !!
Yep, in a nutshell that's exactly what happened.
Was it difficult to call a taxi after arriving late in another country where you have no SIM card?
Yes. Luckily there was a nearby McDonald’s and I used their WiFi 👍
Of couurse fuel is cheaper. Ron95 is ringgit 2.05 only per litre.
Like I said in the video then. I thought as much!
If that had been National Express or EuroLines the passenger would have been left behind.
Yes more than likely Tony. Can’t say I’d be too worried either!
Can I travel from KLIA to Singapore by bus?
Not sure, Google is probably your best bet.
😇😇😇😇🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌Good🚗
Thanks Derisley 😊😊😊😊🇲🇾🇲🇾🇲🇾🇲🇾🇲🇾🇲🇾🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌🚌
Shame it all went wrong at the end.
I totally agree on being upset because of the inconvenience caused by the actions of one inconsiderate person. Indeed it seems good value for money but no working wifi and no toilet is definitely a bit far from what is advertised as luxury (the seat and host however recall that of an up class product)
If I ever did do this again, I wouldn't spend the money tbh. I'd just take a cheaper coach (and one that had a toilet on it!). Flattered to deceive ultimately.
The inconsiderate shopper should've been left behind!
I can think of all sorts of punishments that could've been meted out to this particular person!!
Good review. Shame about the missed train (albeit taxis/Grab in Sing are relatively cheap).
Ive done the bus cross border a few times and traffic at times is unpredictable
Also did the old diesel direct train during tbe day (now part electrified). Wouldnt recommend that, old, hot, just not that comfortable.. so i thnk until they electrify the rail the whole way the bus is the better option (even if you get an older coach)
Cheers Mark. Yep I’d been using Grab a lot - finding the taxi in an unfamiliar place in the dark was the hardest part!! Live and learn don’t you really and tbh, if I did do the coach again I’d want to be leaving KL in the morning.
Can't you put a Delay Repay claim in? As well as getting a refund for the rail fare you incurred and couldn't use?
That would be good wouldn’t it. I got my rail ticket cancelled as I’d already gone through the barriers I had to find someone to let me back out and obviously at that point I had to explain I hadn’t actually taken any train.
@@LetsMakeaTrip Very unlike the Birmingham New Street barriers - I was let out seemingly without a glance at my ticket, and let back in with a very brief glance.
No onboard toilet no way for me. It seemed abit worn. Try KTM instead at least there are toilets on the train!
Yep I was really surprised about this. Although someone else on the comments reckoned it’s quite common for there not to be toilets on them in this part of the world.
Nothing worse than inconsiderate people holding the rest of the coach up, sorry you missed that last train by a minute. Don't blame you not bothering to try that route again, and not surprising, you sounded so fed up at the end !!
I was a bit Andy. You live and learn I guess with all these things and like I said in the video, an earlier coach would’ve been much better in hindsight.
Because of all the hype we 6 persons tried Transtar Solitaire to and from KL. We totally regretted it and we will never take Transtar again. On the Singapore to KL leg, the bus broke down and we were transferred to immigration by normal transit bus. At immigration , we were left there wondering what happened to the coach for one hour. No word from Transtar, everybody just wondered what was happening.
On the Trip from KL to Singapore, the bus was downgraded. On contacting Transtar, they offered us a measly $5 refund. Taking that Transtar Solitaire fares are double the price of normal coaches, this was a joke of a refund.
You have been warned...take this highly hyped up and unprofessional company if you dare.
I didn’t have the best of times tbh. I’d take the train next time.
Your inconsiderate passenger who delayed you all by five mins is the reason cruise lines will not wait for anyone who's booked a shore excursion via a third party - they leave em, a damned right too. Multiply your extra cost across all the passengers and that's what that idiot should be stumping up. If that was a coach in Germany or Austria it would have been 'tough titzen meine fruend...'!
Haha, yes it certainly would. All about consideration isn’t it!
i would never had touched all the buttons etc, unless i had sanitized them goodness knows what you might catch
Difficult to say whether it had been cleaned thoroughly or not tbh. The bin didn't look great so I suspect not.
bad luck No wifi. Most malaysian buses WILL not have toilets. They smell. Frequent pitstops shall be provided.
Interesting that, I can see your point but unless you’re sitting right next to them it’s not normally an issue. Most coaches in the UK have toilets (see my other videos) and of course the main advantage is you don’t have to stop thus quicker journey times.
@LetsMakeaTrip just basically hygiene. When I was younger, I remembered buses for long distances do hv toilets.but not anymore as our highways have rest areas with motels, food courts, toilets and gas stations.
Shame on transtar.
Aeroline were better.
@LetsMakeaTrip they should, they are the pioneer
@@keangwooichoo6138 they’ve got old buses too though - see my earlier vid (Penang to kl)….
another very rich youtuber would like too see his personnal bank account obviously his revenue from youtube helps to finance what he does
Rich hahaha!
@LetsMakeaTrip not just rich, very rich! 😂